Saturday, October 13, 2007

Fight Terror : Jail Comedians

Flashback : The Chaser's 'Notsama Bin Laden' being arrested during the APEC summit in Sydney

The 'War on Terror' is clearly no place for comedy. Unless you think going to War On Iraq to pursue Saudi Al Qaeda terrorists who attacked the US on 9/11, and who trained in Afghanistan, is pretty funny.

That's why Australian authorities are devoting time and resources they might otherwise be using to track down terrorists to pursue legal action against comedians from The Chaser.

In the skit, a Chaser cast member posing as a delivery man takes a ticking package into Energy Australia's Sydney office where he asks a worker to sign for the item.

The Chaser crew has defended the act, which occurred during the filming of this week's show.

"The Chaser chose the loudest and most deliberately comical ticking to ensure that the people involved in the filming could not think it was any real threat," a statement obtained by the Nine Network said.

However, NSW Police Minister David Campbell said the matter was not to be treated lightly.

"In these days of global terrorism the community expects the police to respond to potential threats," Mr Campbell told the Nine Network.

The Chaser team is already facing criminal charges stemming from a stunt during last month's APEC conference.

Matters against the 11 cast, crew and production members have been adjourned until December 5.

"The (latest) investigation involves actions of individuals and is not related in any way to any incidents during the recent APEC conference," the police spokesman said.

Of course not.

The community does expect the police to respond to 'potential threats'. But how much of a realistic 'potential threat' does a stunt by a bunch of comedians actually pose? Besides pointing out gaping holes in security of major Australian corporations?

Clearly if we're going to win the 'War On Terror', along with the sidebar 'War on Comedy Terror', we have no choice but to jail these comedians. Regardless of how piss-your-pants funny they are.